When the car flew off the cloverleaf
interchange leading from U.S. 26 to Oregon 217 on the night of Nov. 13, it did
major damage to the overhead wire system used by light-rail trains that run
along U.S. 26, TriMet said.

The incident knocked out light-rail
service for thousands of riders through much of the next day, including the morning
commute. Blue and Red line service on the westside was restored just minutes
before the evening commute started.

Before the crash, a
Beaverton patrol officer clocked the BMW's driver, 27-year-old Jeff John
Roberton of Beaverton, going 83 mph on westbound U.S. 26, police said.

The check for $58,181.03 from insurance company USAA covered repair work to the Sunset Transit System and the cost of
providing bus service for MAX riders, TriMet said.

"We filed a claim with the BMW driver's
insurance company and received the full amount for damages," said TriMet
spokeswoman Roberta Altstadt.

Roberton has pleaded guilty to DUII and reckless driving in connection with the crash in Beaverton municipal court.

Roberton entered into a one-year diversion program for the DUII conviction, and a judge sentenced him to two years of probation requiring fines, community service, a driver's license suspension and treatment for alcoholism, said Bill LaMarche, a Beaverton spokesman.